King Aaya and the Ducky
by UltraVioletSpectrum
Summary: AU. King Ayame had it all. But he still wasn't quite satified; that is, until he saw what Kisa had. Though a distraught Yuki tries to curb his obsession, Ayame won't listen to him. Will he remain selfish, or will he change? R&R, please!
1. Part One

**PART ONE  
**-

In a sloping valley sat a fair, simple kingdom. Its cottages humble, its cobblestone paths modest, it was undoubtedly a wonderful place to live. Everyone liked living there, and had a quiet life. And, of course, this modest kingdom was ruled by a king.

The king's castle towered high over the homes in the valley below, and was a famous landmark for miles around. The king himself who lived there was named Ayame Sohma. He was a handsome man, with long, flowing silver hair and sparkling golden eyes. He was charismatic, but at the same time highly boisterous and regal.

Now, he was liked by everyone in his kingdom, but everyone had to agree that he wasn't exactly the most focused king there was. In fact, he liked to slack off. He found his royal duties a bore, and would much rather be in… the bathtub?

Yes, the bathtub. He loved taking baths, because, not only were they relaxing, but it was the only time he got to play with his most favorite thing in the world: his rubber ducky. He loved his ducky like a child, and it was his sole political advisor and confidant. He would barely let the toy leave his side.

Now, the king had a second-hand man, and that was Yuki Sohma. Yuki was Ayame's younger brother, and often serious and soft-spoken. He never really lost his temper, though you could tell when Ayame really pushed his buttons.

At the time of this story, there was a war raging beyond the kingdom's borders. Through Yuki, the kingdom's troops were sent out to fight. When Ayame was particularly stubborn, Yuki took matters into his own hands, associating and planning frequently with Ayame's prime general, Kagura Sohma, a relative of theirs. Though a dainty woman, she was skilled in combat and had been in her top-ranking position for years.

And so begins our tale.

On a bright and sunny late spring afternoon, Yuki, having just been in yet another meeting with Kagura, scrambled frantically down the main hallway of the castle, dashing to Ayame's main quarters. He burst through the door, and called out "Your majesty! I need to speak with you!"

"Later, little brother," came the response from the washroom. Yuki jumped, expecting the call to have come from the master bedroom. "I have more important matters at the moment."

Yuki rolled his eyes. Of course he was in the bathtub again. How could he have expected any different? "Sire, this is crucial. More troops have been expended dramatically since the war has began and…" He trailed off when he heard Ayame singing to himself faintly, echoing in the large washroom, completely ignoring everything Yuki was saying.

Becoming aggravated, Yuki pounded on the door with his fist. "Can it wait a bit longer, Yuki?" Ayame whined.

"No, it can't. Are you just about done?"

"Not quite," Ayame replied nonchalantly. "I'm ready when I'm ready."

Yuki said, "Can you make this brief? There are important matters we must discuss, for the sake of your kingdom."

"Hmm… should I come out now?" Ayame said aloud to himself. He hesitated, pondering the question. "What do you think, ducky?"

_Not this again… _Yuki slapped his forehead as Ayame happily squeaked the rubber duck. " Oh, I couldn't agree more! Ducky says that it can wait! We're not finished with our royal bath!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night…" Yuki grumbled, leaning against the wall as he waited for Ayame to retreat from the washroom.

Ayame reclined contentedly on the walls of his massive bathtub. The ducky sat poised on his belly, and he smiled down at it. After flicking a clump of bubbles from his long hair, he held the ducky in his hands and began to talk to himself. "There are several kings out there. Some like horses, cattle, and such. Some like to lead their troops into battle… but not me." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I find those things dreary. The only thing I want…" he pressed the precious rubber ducky to his cheek affectionately, "…is my ducky."

Yuki, who had been listening to Ayame's monologue, raised an eyebrow. Is that really all the king wanted? Yuki doubted it. Before he had time to consider the subject, the door to the washroom slammed in his face and pinned him to the wall.

A rush of steam billowed out from the room, and Ayame emerged in only a towel, still firmly clutching the rubber ducky. He strode into his main quarters, water dripping from his hair, humming to himself. Yuki inched the door open and poked his head out from behind it. "Ayame, if you could spare a moment, there are things we need to discuss."

"So I've heard," Ayame brushed off his brother's suggestion indifferently. He was heading to a closet, the one in which he changed clothes in. It was filled with only the most elaborate, high-quality clothing in the region, most of them made by his personal tailor, Mine Kuramae. He sifted through the massive closet, being finicky with his clothing, as usual.

"You know of the war, right? Well… we're in it."

No response. Yuki's face began to grow red with frustration, but when he took a deep breath, he returned to his natural color. "I really don't mean to make a fuss—"

"Then, don't," Ayame butted in, sticking his head out from the closet. Turning back, he said, "Ooh! Perfect!" He slammed the door in Yuki's face, perhaps intentionally. When he stepped out, he was clad in a red and gold kimono-like outfit, complete with his imperial crown, clearly pleased with himself. Yuki was bewildered to see the rubber ducky still in his brother's hand.

"You just can't put down that duck, can you?"

"Nope," Ayame replied cheerfully. "And that is why I can't be bothered with the particulars of war." He padded toward a giant portrait of a woman, not unlike him and Yuki, hanging on the wall. "Because quite unlike our dear mother… I find it all a _bore_!" He turned his nose up and walked away. Promptly, the portrait broke from a corner and dangled precariously on one side.

Unexpectedly, Ayame turned to face Yuki, with a warm expression in his eyes. "Now, concentrate, dear brother, and I think you will concur that the most important person there is would be… _me_." He smiled to himself, and Yuki scoffed at his uncontained arrogance. "So don't drag me down with all the people and their troubles, I implore you." With that being said, he walked off onto the balcony as if he had never said anything.

"I don't know why I even bother…" Yuki mumbled, shaking his head. "You just can't reason with him. I think it's time to face the facts: we're all a little stuck here."

"Oh, just let the army run amok. I don't really care, just so long as we win," Ayame said from outside in a nonchalant tone.

"I fear the kingdom is running short on luck," Yuki murmured. "All because of that stupid rubber duck!"

Suddenly, Ayame froze in his tracks. The rubber duck dropped from his grip. At first Yuki thought Ayame heard his grumbling, but he was staring off into the distance. "Wait— what's that?" He leaned over the railing to get a closer look, so far that one leg stuck out and that his stomach pressed the railing hard.

What he saw was a little girl in a bathtub, in a cottage not far from the castle's gates. He knew that little girl. It was Kisa Sohma, another relative of his. She had light orange hair and pastel yellow eyes. Not only was she very shy and quiet, she was often picked on for her unusual hair and eye color. Her personality aside, the thing that caught Ayame's attention was not Kisa herself, but the rubber ducky she cradled in her dainty hands. She looked down on it happily, it was her most favorite toy. She would be heartbroken if she were ever to lose it or if it were given away. But Ayame didn't know that. He felt his heart flutter at the very sight of it, and he forgot all about his other ducky. _This_ was what he wanted.

Ayame stepped back from the railing, still fixed on Kisa's duck. "It's… beautiful," he murmured. Yuki tipped his head to one side in curiosity. "I want it," his brother said bluntly.

Yuki walked up to the railing, and saw what Ayame was observing. "What? The house?"

"No. The ducky."

Yuki looked down at the rubber ducky that had been carelessly tossed to the floor, and felt a pang of empathy for the inanimate object. "B-but, Aaya, you already _have_ a ducky," he explained, pointing to the one on the ground.

Ayame stiffened. "What are you implying? That I shouldn't get whatever I want?!" he demanded, whipping around and facing his brother with an indignant glare.

"Well…"

Ayame snapped, grabbing his brother's shoulders firmly. "I _must_ have that duck, don't you understand?! You shall go and get it for me! If you really want me to be happy, then you'll show me that you adore me! Do not rest for even a minute until that duck is sitting here before my throne! If you want to do your best, I suggest you go now, and bring me back that duck!" He stood there in silence for a second, breathing hard as he waited for Yuki to take in his speech.

"Um… brother… if I could just jog your memory," he said, making his way to a wooden cabinet, "you already have plenty of rubber ducks." He swung open the doors, revealing a fabulous array of shiny rubber ducks, lined up neatly and orderly. Yuki resisted the urge to grab one and squeak it himself.

Ayame just stood there for a few seconds nose scrunched in disgust, staring belligerently at the ducks. "Those are yesterday's ducks," he explained bluntly, turning his head away aloofly.

"Wha…?" Yuki was astounded at his brother's hasty denial. "But… these are all perfectly good ducks! Why, most of your royal subjects would do _anything_ to have a ducky even _half_ this nice!" He held out one to the king, squeaking it to increase the appeal.

Ayame reluctantly held it in his hand, observing it for only a moment before harshly tossing it the floor with aversion in his eyes. "I don't like them!" he yelled. "I don't want these any longer!" With that, he began grabbing handfuls of ducks and throwing them across the room, hard as he could in his frustration. Yuki watched the scene in horror. "My affection for these ducks isn't getting any more passionate! When you say I can't get what I want, you couldn't be more wronger! Please don't ask me to explain why, there will be pain if you don't bring me back that duck!"

Yuki was simply awestruck. How greedy could you possibly be? Ayame turned away and stuck his nose up in the air. "This conversation is over."

"…Did you say, 'more wronger'?" Yuki probed.

"What? I don't know. Perhaps," Ayame replied with a snort.

"It's 'more wrong'… not 'more wronger'." Yuki explained gently, not wanting to push Ayame's anger even further. It was too late for that.

Aaya growled, then whipped around and snapped, "Don't question the king's grammar! Now go and get that _duck_!" He stamped his foot on the ground, as if to solidify his point.

"But, brother! We can't just barge in and steal Kisa's duck!" Yuki attempted to reason with the king.

"Why not?" Ayame inquired sourly.

"Well, word will get out, Aaya. Then the townspeople will become paranoid, thinking you're going to take _their_ stuff!" Yuki explained. Ayame still avoided eye contact, trying his bets to make it look like he didn't care. But his little brother had a point. What would happen to his reputation if people thought he was a thief? That would inevitably lead to some form of rebuke, perhaps even going so far as… impeachment! Ayame wouldn't stand for that.

Yuki murmured, "You just can't run a kingdom like that."

Ayame shot his brother a brief glance, then rolled his eyes. "Oh… all right. I suppose you have a point."

Yuki smiled at his achievement. Finally, his older brother was listening to him! Besides, he would not, could not, let Ayame steal Kisa's rubber duck. It was her only toy! He could only imagine how unhappy she would be if Ayame took it.

"Well, then, we'll have to do something about Kisa," Ayame said suddenly. Yuki could only gape. _What_? Was his brother even _listening_? Anger rose in his heart. But before he could say anything, Ayame's stomach growled. There was an awkward pause between them before Aaya spoke. "Well, first thing's first," he said. "Go tell the cooks downstairs to prepare me lunch. And please don't linger."

Yuki opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. It was no use talking sense to Ayame… much less when he was hungry. When Yuki swung open the door, he was surprised to see Kagura standing outside, about to knock. "Ah, Yuki Sohma! What a pleasant surprise!" she beamed. She was a short woman, with medium-length brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was clad in shining armor, ready to jump into battle at any given moment. "Is Ayame here?"

"I most certainly am," Ayame said, striding in between Yuki and Kagura. "Well, if it isn't Kagura, my favorite general. How goes the war, my dear?"

"As Yuki informed you," Kagura replied, "the war has become _ferocious_! We are losing more and more soldiers with every passing day! We need more militia at the front."

Ayame cocked an eyebrow. "Yuki didn't tell me that."

"I tried, Ayame," Yuki interjected, "But you wouldn't come out of the…" He nodded toward the washroom.

Ayame rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hm… more militia, eh?"

"Yes. More militia. Men, women, even young adults! I don't care, we need armed forces!"

Ayame considered the predicament. How could he use this to his advantage…? Of course! "You know… I believe Kisa would like to help."

Yuki was appalled. _Kisa_?! Was he really…?

"…Kisa?" Kagura echoed uncertainly. "She's only a child, and rather small."

"Oh, she's surprisingly strong for her age," Ayame reassured her.

Kagura hesitated, but bowed her head respectfully and said, "As you wish, sire."

"Your Highness…!" Yuki whimpered.

"Oh, and one more thing, Kagura," Ayame added. "Have Kisa… stand at the front of the battle. And let everyone else… step back."

Kagura's eyes widened in shock. "B-but…she'll be… _creamed_!"

Yuki watched this whole scene with growing resentment. He desperately wanted to punch his brother in the face, but he restrained himself. Why, why, _why_ was he letting his brother do this? Poor Kisa! And to think, her standing at the front of the battle, trying to protect the masses… it was a terrible image.

Kagura stood there, her mind reeling. What was the king thinking, sending a young lady into battle like that? Should she refuse? Or let herself satisfy the king's wishes?

The king began to think about what he was doing. Kisa was only a child, after all. What would happen if she were injured… or worse? But he really wanted that duck. And it was the only way of getting to it without being noticed. "Your king," he said slowly, "has spoken."

"A-as you wish… sire…" Kagura stuttered, then left the king's main quarters, still confused. Yuki simply couldn't believe what was happening, the injustice of it all! Why was Ayame so _selfish_?

"Yuki," Ayame said. "Meet me at the East Gate, at dusk. We've got a job to do." His stomach growled again. "But first, hurry and tell the cooks to prepare my lunch. I'm still hungry." With that, he walked through the door to his master bedroom and shut the door.

It was terrible. Yuki didn't want Kisa to be hurt, and he certainly didn't want to steal her rubber duck. But he also didn't want Ayame to send him into the war as well. So he reluctantly did as the king asked. _Why am I doing this?_ He stood in the threshold for just a moment, then turned around, shook his head sadly, and left.

* * *

OH MY GOD I CAME BACK. :O For those of you unfamilliar with me, I've basically been on hiatus on this site since... oh geez, I don't even know how long ago it was! XD But the important thing is, now I'm back! 8D (_And there was much rejoicing..._ _yay_ #tiny firework pops#)

My revival aside, this is VERY strongly based off the VeggieTales episode "King George and the Ducky". I was wathcing it a few days ago, because I felt like it (I'm such a 90's child. XP), and I suddnely though, "What if Aaya was the king? GASP. I'm having another epiphany! #lightbulb#" And so, I cranked out this bad boy. :) Should this be listed as a crossover or not? If anyone would enlighten me, that would be fantabulous. :3

...Ayame can sure throw one heck of a tantrum for a grown man. X'DDDDDD Then again, if you wanted something that bad and your annoying little brother denied you of it, I'd personally do the same. #sweatdrop#

Needless to say, this was a blast to write! I'm going to get part 2 done ASAP. In fact, once I get off here, I'm going to go and do that. I'm HELL-BENT on finishing this. XD

Hope you enjoyed!~ Remember to read and reveiw, it saves kittens! :3

~_UltraVioletSpectrum_ (aka Mo)


	2. Part Two

ARGH! This is the second time I've had to wirte this. D: I'm mad. But, that aside, here is the final part of King Aaya and the Ducky! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! :3 Be warned that this part is almost a page longer than the previous part. So if you don't like long stories, don't say I didn't warn you.

Can you believe it's Christmas Eve already? I'm so excited! Consider this my little Christmas present for all of you reading this. :3

Wanna hear something weird? When I saved this file to my thumb drive to transfer it form the computer in my bedroom (which has no internet.) to the one I'm sitting at now, I saw how much KB the files had. The file for the first part was 45.5 KB. This part, the longest one, is 44.5 KB. Weird, huh?

ENJOYYYYYY!!!!

* * *

**PART TWO**

-

Night had fallen over the kingdom. The clear night sky allowed the twinkling stars and the crescent moon to shed their light upon the valley. It also allowed Yuki to find his way through the castle grounds without stumbling about like a blind man. He exited the castle with a full belly, as he'd just eaten his dinner, but his meal weighed him down like a block of lead in his stomach. He felt so terrible about what he was doing, every fiber of his being protested his submissive agreement to the king. But he did it anyways. Because he did not want to die a slow, agonizing death in the dungeons far below the castle, nor did he want to die painfully in the war. So he did as he was told.

Soon he arrived at the East Gate, which glistened a bluish hue in the moonlight. He didn't have to wait long for Ayame to arrive. The king had on a long, dark brown robe on top of his clothes, and a floppy hood concealed most of his face. Yuki could still distinguish his overall complexion.

"All right. Follow me, my brother. And try to act inconspicuous." He walked off without even waiting for a reply. Typical behavior of a king such as him.

Yuki shook his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he mumbled. Then he hurried after the king. The descent down the sloping hill down to the village exhausted them, but Ayame stubbornly pressed on. They managed to slip unnoticed through the empty streets, silhouettes against the feeble moonlight. Adrenaline pumped through Ayame's veins, and his stomach gave a hopeful jolt every time he thought about it. He was finally getting that beautiful rubber duck! At long last! He just couldn't stop think about it, he became very impatient during twilight as he waited for dusk to approach.

Finally they reached Kisa's cottage. It was very small, only a few rooms, but Ayame could have cared less about her living conditions. He carefully opened the door, albeit a little quickly, and ran inside. Yuki snuck inside after him, trembling. He hoped desperately that they wouldn't be caught stealing the possessions of Kisa's family.

His heart broke when he saw Ayame slip out the door, clutching her only rubber duck. He then suddenly realized just how immoral this was. Ayame had dozens, possibly hundreds, of rubber ducks… so why couldn't he just use those? It was probably a very nice rubber duck Kisa owned, yes, but his were just fine! Not liking them wasn't a good enough excuse, he should have been thankful he owned so many. Yuki felt frustration building up inside again. "Yuki! We're finished here!" Aaya called from outside. Yuki walked back outside sullenly. He was angry on the outside, but he was far angrier on the inside. He felt the overwhelming urge to punch his arrogant brother in the face once again. But he resisted it. They trekked back to the castle in silence.

Ayame burst through the door to his main quarters. "We did it!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "Oh, now, now, _now_ I'm happy!" He threw off the robe, and it promptly landed right on Yuki as he entered. He poked his head through and saw Ayame pacing around triumphantly as if he were… well, a king!

"Let me see it," Yuki said, making his way toward Ayame. The king whipped around and held the ducky back as so to hide it, looking insulted.

"You?! Why ever would I let you bestow your eyes upon such a dazzling beauty as the one I have claimed?!" Ayame spat. "You are only my servant, after all."

The rage boiling inside Yuki increased dramatically. "Yes, but I'm also your brother! Please, let me see!"

Ayame glared at him for a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Here… if you must," he grumbled, handing the rubber duck out to his little brother. Yuki took it in his hands and examined it.

Now he truly saw just how egocentric his big brother was. "I-It looks… just like all your other rubber ducks," he pointed out meekly.

Ayame, again, wore an insulted expression, and there was fury in his voice. "What?! Hold your tongue, infidel! This—" he paused dramatically, pointing to his wrongfully claimed property, "—is the most perfect ducky the world has ever known!" He paused again, as if to give his brother ample purchase to take in what he had said. What a condescending gesture! "Now, then, my evening bath is long overdue."

Yuki opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of someone knocking at the door cut him off. "Who could that be?" Ayame muttered. "Come in!"

The doors swung open, revealing Kagura, still clad in armor, and a very battered Kisa, also clad in armor, albeit a few sizes too large. Her eyes were dull and cloudy, as if she wanted to fall asleep, and she wobbled unsteadily as she stood. "Kisa!" Yuki exclaimed in horror.

"Er… yes, Kisa," Ayame stuttered. He hastily hid the duck behind his back. "Returning home so soon?"

"It was astounding!" Kagura exclaimed cheerfully. "There she was, alone at the front line… but she never gave up! She stood her ground! And she, this young lady, single-handedly fought off the advancing hoard!" She smiled down at Kisa, whose only response to Kagura's retelling of her heroic feats was a sniffle.

Ayame was speechless. "…She did…?"

"She's a war hero, sire!"

Ayame was still at a loss for words, and he stuttered out, "Yes… well… Kisa, I, ah…"

"_Incoming_!" Kisa abruptly shouted, making everyone jump in response. "Hazardous enemy projectiles heading east at 80 degrees!"

There was an awkward silence for a moment. "I'm sorry…?"

"Ah… I'm afraid she's been driven to the brink of insanity, sire," Kagura confessed forlornly. All her pride in Kisa seemed to have vanished. "Her war memories have scarred her."

"Oh, no…" Yuki moaned, fidgeting with the collar of his shirt. "How long will she be like this?"

Kagura shook her head sadly. "No telling— perhaps the rest of her life."

Ayame furrowed his brow. "Yeah?"

"Enemy fire, in the hall!" Kisa screamed out suddenly again. "Hit the deck!" She then threw herself to the floor, inadvertently passing out as she did so.

"Well, we will give her the highest honor of the kingdom, madam. I guarantee it," Ayame announced proudly to Kagura, who was watching Kisa with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, sire. If Kisa were conscious, I'm sure she would thank you. I'll take her to her home now. Her parents will be happy to see her again." Kagura gently picked up Kisa, who went limp in her grasp, and carried her out the door. Yuki's head was spinning from all the emotions welling up inside him. Anger at his brother, contrite for Kagura, empathy for Kisa, and much more. It seemed everything went by so fast, he found it hard to take in. Oh, Kisa… her future could almost inevitably be set in an insane asylum! The thought of a young, innocent little girl like her being scarred for life after being sent to the war, at the frontlines no less, almost made him cry.

And it was all because of his stupid, conceited, stuck-up, selfish brother. A growl of fury rumbled somewhere deep inside his throat, his fists clenched and he began to shake violently.

"Oh, don't fret, dear brother," Ayame soothed him, patting his shoulder. "There's still time for that bath."

All the anger boiling inside Yuki exploded at Ayame's statement. "Are you the only person you ever think about?!" he shouted, whirling around.

"No. I've been thinking about this beautiful thing for quite some time now. And now that Kisa's lost her mind, she won't be needing it anymore," Ayame replied nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. Profanities stuck on the tip of Yuki's tongue, and now the urge to strangle his brother was just overwhelming. He had the self-control to subdue it, though. "Now, come along and help me with that bath."

Again, before Yuki could reply, a knocking at the door interrupted him. "Oh, for goodness' sake!" Ayame grumbled. "Come in!"

"I did."

The voice came from a man with raven-black hair that only slightly brushed his shoulders and dark brown eyes, clad in a simple black kimono. Ayame thought he'd seen the man somewhere before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. "I can see that. And who, exactly, are you?"

"You remember me," the man said. "I am Shigure Sohma. You know, that slightly odd man who shows up every now and then to tell you things."

"Ah, yes. Shigure. Well, what is it?" Ayame demanded, crossing his arms.

"I've come here," Shigure said nonchalantly, "to tell you a little story."

That was it? Only a story? Ayame almost laughed out loud. "Well, can you come back later? I have important matters to attend to. Come back at bedtime."

"It's important." Shigure almost sounded threatening with that low tone of voice. It certainly persuaded Ayame and Yuki to stay. "Now, sit down and listen carefully. You'll find it much easier to understand if you close your eyes and picture the events with your imagination."

_What imagination?_ Yuki thought sourly, glaring at his brother. They both sat down and did as Shigure asked.

"Now, then. Our story." Shigure sat down and cleared his throat.

"Once upon a time, in a town not so unlike this one, there was a man. A very rich man, to be precise. His home overshadowed everyone else's, and he owned many rare, expensive things, such as gold jewelry and such. His most prominent quality, though, was that he owned many sheep. Too many for one to count in one day. So many one wondered how he managed to take care of all of them. Yes, there was once a very rich man."

He paused, as if to increase the suspense. Ayame misinterpreted the silence, he thought the story had ended. "Okay, great story," he said awkwardly, rising to his feet. Yuki glared. "Now if you'll excuse me, I—"

"Wait," Shigure said in the low tone again. "My story isn't done. Sit down. This story is of two men, and I've only mentioned the first."

"…Oh." Ayame obliged.

"In the same town, deep in the heart of the slums, lived a very poor man. He had no possessions, or family… just a little lamb. But he loved it so. It was like a son to him. He fed it directly from his hand. And so. There lived a rich man, and a poor man." Ayame was very deep in thought. He found it surprising how dramatically different these men's social statuses were. Were there people like that in his own kingdom? Yuki knew exactly where this story was going, but he didn't want to spoil anything, so he remained silent.

"One day, there was a guest at the home of the rich man. The rich man was to prepare a lavish dinner for the guest, and what better meat to use then lamb's meat? It was all planned. Now, what do you think the rich man did?"

Ayame stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Well, let me see… he had plenty of sheep, so he could have just used one of his own… right…?" His voice trailed off when he saw Shigure shaking his head.

"No. The rich man seized the lamb from the poor man."

_What?! _Ayame was horrified. _How _could _he?!_

"Yes. That rich man took the precious little lamb from the poor man. That night, him and his guest feasted on that little lamb, and felt no remorse. Only because that king was unconcerned of anyone's feelings besides his own. The poor man was in even more poverty now, and he never found another lamb again. And that is the end of the story."

"Is… is that… is this a true story?!" Ayame demanded, stumbling over his words.

"As true as I stand before you, Ayame," Shigure replied.

Ayame was simply appalled. "Who does that man think he is?! _Who_? How dare he take that little lamb, when he had many sheep, and the poor man only had _one_! How grotesque! How vain! How _despicable_!" His voice began to crack, and he paced frantically around Shigure, who was still seated nonchalantly on the floor. "For his debilitating cruelty, he shall be locked away in my dungeon for the rest of his miserable life!"

He leaned down, and looked Shigure straight in the eye. A threatening, condescending glare. "Who is that man? Tell me!"

Shigure's eyes were regretful as he looked into Ayame's. "Oh, King Ayame. Don't you see? _You_ are that man."

Ayame felt as though he had been punched square in the stomach, blown away by the unexpected statement. "…What?!"

"You are the king. You have many rubber ducks. But Kisa only had one, and she loved it very much." He stood up carefully, and continued to stare into the depths of Ayame's eyes. "But you weren't thinking about _her_, and how _she_ felt, about _her_ well-being. You were only thinking about _yourself_, and how it would all work out in _your _favor." Ayame looked down at the floor guiltily, and a knot formed in his throat. He was now beginning to see the error of his ways. It was true, he didn't think about how Kisa would be inconvenienced, only focusing on what he wanted. He thought it was right. But, oh, how wrong he was! The story had opened his eyes, made him see things in a new perspective.

"I… I—"

"Your Majesty, what you have done had made God very unhappy. For whether you are a king, or a child, God wants us to think of others before we think of ourselves." Ayame sadly looked up, and the disappointment he saw in Shigure's face made him stare back down at the floor in shame. Tears began to form in his eyes. "…You have been selfish, Ayame. And when we are selfish, we hurt the people around us. Just as you have hurt Kisa."

"B-but I—" Ayame's voice quavered anxiously.

"God wants us to love our neighbors. Not hurt them." Shigure turned around, and opened the doors.

"W-what do I do?" Ayame inquired, grabbing Shigure's shoulder, a gesture that begged him not to leave. "What do I do?!"

Shigure turned around. "Here is what you must do. Ask God to forgive you, and ask Kisa to forgive you as well. And then…"

"Yes?"

"…Make it right." With that, Shigure gently shut the doors, and exited the kingdom.

Ayame sucked in a deep breath, and forced the burning tears away. Shigure's words had shone a new light on his heart, and now, he knew what he had to do. He was going to make everything right.

"Yuki," he addressed his brother gently. "I have a splendid idea. Please go draw a bath."

"What? How can you possibly still be thinking about that, after all Shigure just said to you?!"

"Oh, no, it's not for me. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." He grinned.

"Okay," Yuki said suspiciously. "If you say so."

"I must go and find Kisa." Ayame left the castle as well.

He almost ran to the town in his desperation. He figured that, perhaps, a warm bath would bring Kisa to her senses. He found the small cottage she lived in, and asked kindly if he may borrow Kisa for the night. Her parents, though a bit suspicious, obliged to what the king asked, and he carefully carried Kisa there, seeing as she was still too unstable to walk. When he looked down at the sleeping form of Kisa that he held in his arms, he felt a wonderful warmth flood over him, and he smiled down at the little girl. He would make it right, no matter what. He had to make things right. Kisa's life would never go back to normal again if he didn't.

When he got back, the bath was ready. After removing her clothes, he carefully placed Kisa in the bathtub, and sat on the side, waiting for her to become conscious. Finally, her tired eyes blinked awake, and he looked blearily around the room. She most likely didn't have any idea what was going on.

"Hello, little lady," Ayame smiled warmly. "Are you all right?"

No verbal response, only a few confused blinks. "Here, let's clean you up a bit." He grabbed a towel, and carefully wiped away the filth from her face. Sure enough, after a moment, the king was right. Her eyes opened fully, and she sat up slowly.

"Wha… where am I?" she squeaked. She looked around in amazement. "What a big tub! Am I in…heaven?"

"No, silly. You're in my castle. I'm letting you spend the night here."

"Really?" Kisa was surprised. She bowed her head. "Thank you, King Ayame."

"Here. I have a surprise for you." He held out her rubber duck, and placed it gently into the steaming bathwater.

Kisa's eyes shone with delight. "My ducky!"

"Er… well, I suppose it's… a bit of an apology," Ayame confessed awkwardly, looking away.

Kisa tipped her head to one side. "What do you mean?"

For a moment, Ayame said nothing. His mind reeled and his stomach churned as he pondered how he would explain what he had done to Kisa. Would he be easily forgiven? Or would Kisa be mad that he had sent her off to the war, and stolen her ducky? But he had to do it. He _would_ make things right. He _would_.

So, finally, he told Kisa what he had done, beginning with the moment he saw her with the duck. He told her how very sorry he was, and how now he realized how selfish it was of him to steal her ducky. Finally, he asked if she would forgive him. She thought about it for a minute, and in that minute, Ayame was afraid. But she said she would, and tenderly hugged Ayame around the neck to seal her clemency.

Then, King Ayame prayed, and asked God to forgive him for what he had done. Yes, being forgiven felt very therapeutic, and Ayame consciously felt a lightness in his heart. And the people he had hurt, Kisa, and even Yuki, for forcing him to do things he knew were wrong, felt much better, too, when they saw how truly sorry the king was.

King Ayame felt so generous that he let Kisa sleep in his own bed, and he instead slept in one of the several guest bedrooms. Kisa was elated, and slept peacefully throughout the night. In the morning, the King himself escorted her, like a princess, back home. Her parents were very happy to see their daughter back to normal again. But before Kisa went inside, she hugged Ayame tightly around his middle and thanked him again. Ayame assure her that he would always have a special place in his heart for her, and, feeling so liberated and free, left and retreated back into the castle. Later that day, with Yuki's help, Ayame went around town, giving out his rubber ducks to people who wanted them, so he could make even more people happy. Being thanked so many times had truly given the king a change of heart. Life continued on as usual, only Yuki felt much more inclined to help his brother with anything he wanted, seeing as his brother wasn't so condescending anymore.

I hope you have taken the message in stride my friends, for it is a very valuable lesson in and of itself. From now on, you should put others before yourself often, and you should be patient if you want something, or share things with other people. Because, as Shigure said, when we are selfish, we hurt the people around us. And God wants us to love our neighbors, not hurt them.

And that is the end of our story.

**THE END**

* * *

Did you like it? Because I know I had fun writing it. ;) I never realized until now the intimate menaing that VeggieTales episode has. O_o; I knew it was about not being selfish, but when I was writing Shigure's little speech, I began to see the thought that had been put into it. Besides, a child going insane after being sent to the war is a little more... I don't know... advanced for little tykes to fully get. But, whatever. It has a good moral, and that's all you really need to know.

I don't have much else to say. Heh, it's the final chapter, and I don't have anything to say! #sweatdrop# Oh, wait! I'm making another Fruits Basket story, _Night Of the Blue Moon_. If you look in my profile, I put a description of what I had in mind for the story up there. ;) If you liked this, keep your eyes peeled for the next one!

Just remember: read and reveiw! I'll give you a virtual waffle if you do. 8D Or I'll look at one of your stories and reveiw it!

See ya later!

~_UltraVioletSpectrum_ (aka Mo)


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